Even on a tight schedule, Venice Biennale earns the hours.
Allow Half to two full days.
When it's on (roughly spring–autumn), the Giardini national pavilions and the vast Arsenale rope walks turn Venice into the centre of the contemporary-art world — a full day or two of provocative, of-the-moment work in extraordinary spaces. The catch: it's strictly seasonal (nothing to see off-year/off-season), tickets aren't cheap, it's a lot of walking, and it leaves classical-Venice seekers cold while thrilling the art crowd.